Hopper-car door-operating device



ay E. c. MITCHELL HOPPER CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1927. 1,627,801

E. C. MITCHELL HOPPER CAR DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25. 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 4 r 4 5 7/ if v 5 20 HM -v :r

(5!; 66 gnwntoz in; 8 Z/w Patented May 10, 1927.

umrEosrArss EDWIN G. IITGHELL, Oil GBEENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOPPER-CAB DOOR-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application Med January 25, 1926. Serial No. 88,888.

The invention relates to railway cars and has particular reference tosecuring or looking means for the doors.

The primar object of the invention, gen erally stated, 1s to providedoor securing or locking means embodying a link and lever mechanism forswinging the door into tightly closed position at a single operation.

Another object of the invention is to rovide mechanism of this characterin w ich' a portion of the means or certain elements thereof may act tolimit the opening movement of the door beyond the proper extent.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of doorsecuring and locking means embodying a retaining hook and a link andlever arran ement, together with cam means operativeljy connected withthe former, both means being capable of actuation by a manually operatedand removably mounted lever or wrench, the parts bein so constructed andarranged that the wrenc or equivalent tool is employed to effect release0 the hook to permit subsequent opening of the door as well as -toeffect closing of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hopper door securing orlocking means emb ying a pivotally mounted hook carried by-the car andcooperating with an arm member or its equivalent carried by the door,cam means being provided in engagement with the hook for moving it intoand out of engagement with the door arm.

An additional object of the invention is to provide door opening,closing and locking mechanism embodying, in combination wit a door armand a hook coacting therewith, link, lever and cam mechanism capable ofmanual operation, the link and lever movin simultaneously and the cambeing movab e independently thereof and fulfilling the function ofmoving the hook to operative or inoperative position, depending upon thedirection of movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide door operating andlocking mechanism in which the parts are so mounted and arranged thatactuation thereof by means of a wrench, lever or other tool may beeasily accomplished even though the car be standing adjacent a platformor the like which would interfere with operation of ordinary types ofoperating means.

To the attainment of the fore oing and other objects and advantages-8H5] as simplicityand cheapness in manufacture and installation,efliciency and durability in operation, together with the generalimprovement of the art, the invention referably consists in the arranement an combination of parts and the etailed construction and mountingthereof to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car hopper and door,showing the invention in applied position, the door being representedclosed and locked in full lines and open in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism taken at right-an les toFigure 1, the view looking toward t e outside of the door, showing theoperating lever in one position,

Fi re 3 is a horizontal section through the opper and door and showing aplan view of the mechanism,

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 andshowing the cam in the position assumed by it when the hook is inoperative position,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of the rotatable operatingmember carrying the cam,

Figure 6 is an end elevation thereof, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail view of the wrench,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates,generally, a

' ortion of a car hopper having sides 2, an

inclined bottom 3 anddoor opening 4. The usual or any preferredreinforcements 5 are provided at the corners-or lower edges of thehopper, and an angle bar 6 is also provided at the edge of the dooropening for stifl'ening purposes, this bar being located beneath thebottom of the hopper and bein preferably secured to angle plates 7 whierender the structure strong and rigid. The door opening 4 is normallclosed by a door 8 equipped with any sultable stiffening bars 9 and caring an arm 10 of angle bar formation suita ly secured thereto andprojecting beyond the side of the hopper. Obviously, these details maybe varled within wide limits within the scope of the invention whichconcerns itself primarily with means for opening or closing the door andforcin it closely to its seat while avoiding over-c osure.

bracket member being 'refera y riveted in place at the proper ocation..'Journaled through this bracket is thee lindrical portion 12 of a shaftor combine trunnion and cam member 13 formed near one end with a cam 14having a radial shoulder 15. ,Be-

'yond the cam, the member 13 is provided with a reduced extension 16freely rotatable within a seat 17 in the base or bottom 17" of thebracket so that there will be two bear- 1 ing points for the member 13.This member 13 pro'ects considerably beyond the bracket 11 an the outerend 18 1S squared or of other angular shape for a purpose to bedescribed. The cam 14 is of course located bea tween the bracket 11 andthe side of the and rotatably mounted upon the cam is the hub portion 19of a door hook 20 ads ted to en age with the door arm 10 for he ding thecor closed. The inner periphery of the hub portion 19 is formed with aprojection 21 having a radial shoulder 22'coactin with the radialshoulder 15 of the cam an also having an inclined face 23 which coactswith the periphery of the cam, it bein noted that the cam member 14 isrefera 1y circular in cross section exce t or the cam surface 24 whichcoacts with the projection 21 in a manner to be explained.

The bracket 11 is shown as of such construction as to provide a ledge orshelf 25 which forms a stop for the hook 20 so as to .prevent the hookfrom dropping down when the door is in open position. There is alsopreferably pivoted between the bracket and the hopper a locking cam 26engageable with the door hook for holding it in its locked position andpreventing accidental displacement.

The numeral 27 designates a lever having a hub portion 28 rotatably enaged upon the cylindrical portion 12 of t e member 13, the outer surfaceof the hub 28 being squared or of other angular shape for engagement ofa wrench or other tool therewith. While any suitable means may beprovided for preventing displacement of the lever 27 with respect to themember 13, I have illustrated a cotter pin 29 or the like which passesthrough a suitable hole 30 in the member 13-immediately outwardly of thehub 28. The door mechanism further includes a link 31 which has one endpivotally connected with the free end of the lever 27. In thepresentinstance this pivotal connection is shown as consisting of a hookedportion 32 on the end of the link passing through a suitable hole 33 inthe lever though naturally there is no limitation desired in thisrespect. -Pivotally connected with the other end'of the link is aconnecting element 34 movably connected with the arm resent instance econneetionbetwee'n the n? 31'a nd 1pem?er 34 in represented as 00nd sismg sunp y-o interengaging" eyes 35 an 36 and the member 34 isshownasassin through a hole 37 in the door arm, t is en the of the member 34having a transverse head 38 so as to be incapable ofaccidentalwithdrawal; Clearly, the lever 27, link 31 and member 34 provide aflexible connection between the hopper and the door which will act tolimit opening movementof the door as well as serving. as nieanswherebythe door may be closed.

In connection with the above described mechanism, use is' made of awrench device illustrated in Figure'7, which wrench includes a handle orlever 39 terminating in a head 40 formed with two 0 nings 41 and 42, theformer of which is o proper size to be engaged u n the. .hub 28 and thelatter of wlnch is 0 such size as to be engageable upon the squared end18 of the member 13.

The closed and locked position of the i door is illustrated in Figure '1wherein it the book may be in engagement with the radial shoulderlfi ofthe cam. To open the door, it is first necessary to swing the lockingcam 26 out of'the way of the hook and then to engage the opening 42 ofthe wrench or lever device 39 upon the squared projecting end 18 of themember 13, subsequently to which the lever 39 is moved in acounter-clockwise direction to efiect rotation of the member 13. Whenthis is done the shoulder 15 coacting with the shoulder '22 will 0 erateto rotate the book 20 in a counter-c ockwise direction and withdraw itfrom engagement with the door arm 10. The weight of the load pressingagainst the door 8 W111 then force the door open into the position shownby dotted lines in Figure 1, the lever 27 then extending downwardly in asubstantiall vertical position. If, for any reason. t e weight of thedoor or of the load, it any, pressing thereagainst should beinsuflieient to effect 0 ning movement, use may be made of the ever 39by disengaging it from the squared end 18 of the member 13 and engagingthe openin 41 upon the squared hub portion 28 of the iver 27, andswinging the lever'in a counterclockwise direction so as to move thelever or arm 27 and consequently the door, through the connecting meansconsisting of the elements 31 and 33 Hill When the door has been thusopened, it

is clear that the hook 20 may left in its upwardly position out ofobstructin relation to the cor arm though it i8 pre erable that it bermitted to dro engagement wit the shelf or edge so that it will be insuch position that when the door is subsequently closed the en gement ofthe door arm a ainst the inc ined surface 20 of the hook Wlll result inlifting it until it may drop behind the door arm.

In case of any binding of the member 13 in its bearings, as the resultof rust, freezing or an other contingency, gravity might not be su cientto restore the hook to said position, in which event the opening 42 ofthe wrench may be engaged upon the squared extension or end '18 of themember 13 and the member 13 rotated so that the came surface 24 thereonwill crowd a ainst the surface 23 of the projection 21 in t 1e hub ofthe hook and consrgl uently positively force the hook downwa y intoengagement with the shelf 25.

Assuming that the door has been opened and it is desired to reclose it,the opening 41 of the wrench or lever 39 is engaged upon the squared hub28 of the arm or lever 27, subsequently to which the wrench is swung ina clockwise direction to swing the lever 27 u n the cylindrical portion12 of the mem r 13 as a trunnion or pivot. Owing to the provision of theinterconnected members 31 and 33 this movement of the lever or arm 27will cause a all to be exerted upon the door 8 which will naturallyresult in swinging the door into closed position.

By ap ying considerable pressure to the wrench it is quite apparent thatthe door may be drawn closely to its seat. As the door swings shut, thedoor arm 10 will engage against aiid lift the hook 20 until the 00k maydro over and behind the door arm. The lockm cam 26 may be employed forforcing the 00k into place and will also act to prevent the hook fromdisengagement with respect to the door arm. The wrench is then removedfrom the hub 28.

A ho r car door operatin device co'nstructe will be ea to operate as theparts are readily accessi le and as the wrench is used in such aposition that its movement, would not be interfered with even though thecar might be standing beside a high loading platform or the like.Furthermore, 'werful leverage may be exerted for positively drawing thedoor to'its seat while at the same time there is practically no dangerof over-closure which might result in distortion of the parts. Ampleprovision has been made t6 insure ease and certainty of operation undereven the most adverse conditions. \Vhile I have shown and described apreferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that-thedisclosure is merely illustrative as it is conceivable that down into inaccordance with t is inventionv various and modifications may be made inthe etails of construction as well as the a cut and location of partsprovided suc variations constitute no departure from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Means for moving and locking the swingable door of a railway car,comprising a retainin member on the door, a hook p voted on t is ourside and cooperating with said retaining member for normally holding thedoor closed, an arm pivoted on the car side and having a flexib econnection with said retaining member, means for swinging said arm toopen and close the door, and cam means for moving said hook.

2. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combinationwith a railway car hopper and its swingably mounted door, of asupporting structure mounted on the hopper, a retaining member carriedby the door, a hook pivoted within said supporting structure andcooperating with sai retaining member for normally holding said doorclosed, an arm pivoted on said supporting structure and operativelyconnected with said retaining member, and separate lever operated meansfor moving sald arm and said hook.

3. A mechanism of the character described com rising the combinationwith a railway car opper and its swingably mounted door, ofa supportingstructure mounted on the hopper, a retaining member carried by the door,a hook pivoted within said supporting structure and cooperating withsaid retaining member, an arm pivoted on said supporting structure andoperatively connected with said retaining member, and means for movingsaid arm, the arm and the hook having a'common pivot.

4. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combinationwith a railway car hopper'and its swingably mounted door, of an armcarried by the door, a sup orting bracket mounted on the hopper, a shamember rotatably supported by and within the bracketmember, a door hookpivoted on said shaft member and cooperating with said door arm forholding the door closed, and door closing means including an arm pivotedon said shaft member and flexibly connected with the door arm.

5. A mechanism of the character described comprising the combinationwith a railwaycar hopper and its swmgably mounted door,

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' on said shaftmembea and flexibly seamed with the door arm, said last'named arm 1 member having a hub portion adapted to be engaged by awrench.

6. Y A mechanism of the character described comprising thecombination-with a railway car hopper and its swingably mounted door, ofan arm carried by the door, a supporting bracket mounted on the hopper,a shaft member rotatablyvsupported by and within the bracket member,afdoor hook pivoted on said shaft member and cooperating with saiddoorarm for holding the door closed, door closing means including an armpivoted on said shaft member and flexibly conneoted with the door arm,said last named arm member having a hub portion adapted to be engaged bya' wrench, coacting elements carried by the shaft and hoolgand saidshaft member bein engageable by a wrenchfor swinng the 00k.

7. n a railway car door operating and .locking means, a door arm carriedby the door, a sup rting bracket carried bythe car, a shaft ournaledthrough the bracket: 1!. door hook pivoted on the shaft and cooperating.with the door arm, coacting means on the shaft and door hook forswinging the latter when the former is rotated, and an arm ivoted onsaid shaft-and connected-with the cor arm said second named armbeing'movable independently of said shaft,

In testimony whereofll have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN o. MITCHELL.

